Australia risks slipping from Antarctic research leadership role

Andrew Darby

Continued Australian leadership in Antarctic science is being called sharply into question, at a time of increased effort by other countries in the white continent. Cuts to budgets and science programs are said to be hitting the Australian program, just as Asian and South American states are expanding theirs. A plea to stem these kind of losses with increased international co-operation has been made by a group of senior polar scientists, in a benchmark "horizon scan" of the state of Antarctic research. The scientists, writing in the journal Nature, warned on Friday of the costs in lost opportunities ahead of the biennial meeting of the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research later this month. SCAR, the official scientific adviser to the 50-nation Antarctic Treaty System, said budget uncertainties and disruptions could bring irreplaceable gaps in long-running research and force some researchers to leave the field. Monash University co-author Steven Chown said there were worrying signs about the long-term future of Australia's science leadership in the region. "For example, the number of science projects being supported by the Australian Antarctic Program has declined from 142 in 1997-98 to just 62 in 2014,” Professor Chown said. In an analysis of 2010 funding for SCAR, Australia ranked second in spending on Antarctic science at about $140 million, or about half the United States effort, and twice that of Russia. In the federal budget, the government slashed the Environment Department's Australian Antarctic program by 15 per cent to $157 million, and by 26 per cent in later years. However the government pointed to other significant investments, including a $24 million Antarctic Gateway Partnership between the Australian Antarctic Division, CSIRO and University of Tasmania, and building a new icebreaker. This was confirmed last week by Prime Minister Tony Abbott as important to the country's national and economic security. It comes with icebreakers on the drawing boards for several South American nations, the UK and China, which like Korea is expanding its Antarctic station network into the Ross Sea region, south-east of Australia. Professor Chown said the SCAR Horizon Scan was timely because Australia was developing a 20-year strategic plan for Antarctica that included strategies for enhancing globally significant science, and the influence Australia had on Antarctica. International collaboration, which has been the hallmark of Antarctic research for more than 50 years, must be increased, Professor Chown said. “There also needs to be enhanced investment in science in the region, better environmental stewardship, and more communication around the significance of the region to the public." During the SCAR meeting in Auckland from August 22, the organisation's Medal for Excellence in Antarctic Research will be awarded to Professor Chown. According to the citation, he has made fundamental contributions to animal physiology and to work in understanding the ecology of Antarctic terrestrial systems.